Being Team Human in Crazy Town

Being Team Human in Crazy Town

Author: Post Carbon Institute March 25, 2026 Duration: 54:29

Have you ever had that feeling in your gut, when you suddenly realize that the person you’re talking with might have a screw or two loose? What about when you’re the one others are trying to slowly back away from at the punch bowl? The question of who’s the real nut often arises for us collapse-aware folks living here in Crazy Town. Since Mr. Peanut is no longer returning their phone calls, Rob, Jason, and Asher invite Douglas Rushkoff, media theorist, professor, and host of the Team Human Podcast to answer the question. In this far ranging conversation, they discuss why “leveling down” might be the best strategy for navigating late stage capitalism and bringing ourselves back into right relationship with each other and the planet. Originally recorded on 2/24/26.

Sources/Links/Notes:

  1. Team Human
  2. Douglas Rushkoff YouTube Channel
  3. Douglas Rushkoff, “You Are Not Crazy,Substack, January 7, 2026
  4. Douglas Rushkoff, “Survival of the Richest,Medium, July 5, 2018
  5. Jesse Armstrong, Mountainhead, 2025 film
  6. Dan Fogelman, Paradise, Hulu, 2025 series
  7. Prospera
  8. Neom
  9. California Forever
  10. Jack Manno, Privileged Goods, 1999 book


Related episode(s) of Crazy Town:

  1. Tech Bros on Acid with Douglas Rushkoff (Bonus episode of Crazy Town)
  2. It’s All Paradox with Douglas Rushkoff (Bonus episode of Crazy Town)



Trying to make sense of a world that often feels like it's lost the plot? That's the space where Crazy Town lives. Hosted by Asher, Rob, and Jason from the Post Carbon Institute, this fortnightly conversation navigates the disorienting headlines and deeper systemic crises-from climate chaos and ecological overshoot to the relentless engine of runaway capitalism-with a necessary blend of sharp analysis and dark humor. They’re not just diagnosing the "Great Unraveling" of our social and environmental fabric; they’re actively exploring what a transition to a genuinely sustainable and equitable society could look like, all while trying to keep their own wits about them. This podcast is for anyone who looks at the status quo and senses the profound delusions holding it together, offering listeners a mix of grounded understanding and candid discussion that’s as engaging as it is urgent. Tune in for conversations that are both a reality check and a search for a viable path forward.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 165

Crazy Town
Podcast Episodes
Bonus: Human Nature Odyssey [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:12
Sometimes you just wanna hear from someone else. In this bonus episode, Alex Leff enters Crazy Town to introduce his podcast, Human Nature Odyssey. Before playing the first episode of the podcast, Jason, Rob, and Asher f…
Escaping Extremism: Slap Fighting Our Way to a More Civil Society [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:06:34
The forces of media, technology, and even the wiring of our own brains seem aligned to draw people toward extremism. But never fear: Asher, Jason, and Rob unpack why we're so susceptible to wackadoodle viewpoints and off…
Escaping Humanocentrism: Why a Slime Mold Will Be President in 2028 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:10:15
The myth of human dominion and exceptionalism is as old as the Bible and as unquestioned as gravity, at least in "modern" society. Rob, Asher, and Jason explore the ways that humanocentrism has come to dominate the plane…
Escaping Imperialism: Where Does Darth Vader Get His Lithium? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:12:54
Perhaps no community has undergone more versions of imperialism than the tiny island nation of Nauru, which has morphed from being "Pleasant Island" to the mined-out home of offshore banks, discarded refugees, and deep s…